The former FBI director is accused of subtly suggesting violence against the former president.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated that the Secret Service is investigating James Comey, the former head of the FBI, for allegedly threatening Donald Trump. Comey, a frequent critic of Trump, claims his now-deleted, ambiguous Instagram post was not intended to incite violence.
Comey’s Thursday post featured a picture of seashells arranged to form the number “8647,” captioned “cool shell formation on my beach walk.”
Trump administration officials and Republican figures quickly viewed the image as a threat to the 47th president. Media outlets pointed to Merriam-Webster’s definition of “86” as slang for “to throw out,” “to get rid of,” or “to kill.” Newsweek reported that “86” is a mafia term for taking someone “eight miles out of town” and burying them “six feet under.”
Noem posted on X that “Disgraced former FBI Director James Comey just called for the assassination of Trump,” adding that the Department of Homeland Security and Secret Service are “investigating this threat and will respond appropriately.” Fox News Digital cited a Secret Service source confirming agents will investigate and interview Comey.
FBI Director Kash Patel stated the bureau will “provide all necessary support” to the Secret Service in investigating Comey’s post, which he said was “directed at President Trump.” White House deputy chief of staff Taylor Budowich asserted Comey’s post “can clearly be interpreted as ‘a hit’ on the sitting President of the United States.” Donald Trump Jr. alleged Comey was “casually calling for my dad to be murdered.”
Comey has since removed the image. He wrote on Instagram, “I posted earlier a picture of some shells I saw today on a beach walk, which I assumed were a political message. I didn’t realize some folks associate those numbers with violence. It never occurred to me but I oppose violence of any kind so I took the post down.”
Trump dismissed Comey during his first term, accusing him of spreading falsehoods as part of a politically motivated “witch hunt.”
Donald Trump survived two assassination attempts during his 2024 reelection campaign. In July, a gunman opened fire at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, grazing Trump’s ear with a bullet and killing a spectator. In September, a second would-be assassin was discovered camping outside Trump’s golf course in Florida.
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